Happiness Series

INTRODUCTION

- This week, we will begin our third series in Core 52.

- This series is entitled Singing the Sacred:

- In the center of the Bible is the Book of Songs.

- They cover various styles, moods, moments, and even instruments because they are the soundtrack of our spiritual lives.

- Embedded in these songs are some of the most profound truths AND some of the highest promises pointing to Jesus.

- Imagine writing a song 3,000 years ago, which is still being sung today.

- The Psalms are poems meant to be sung in praise to God.

- At least 73 of them were written by King David, and he likely penned several more.

- They stretch back more than 3,500 years to the earliest Psalm, Psalm 90 written by Moses.

- From there, they cover a thousand years of Israel's history, all the way to Ezra in the 5th Century BC.

- A good portion of the Psalms were likely collected and compiled by King David when he organized 4,000 Levites as singers and musicians to lead Israel in worship.

- The final compilation was likely done in the days following Ezra after the people had returned from Exile.

- They were gathered into five separate books, each with their own theme and focus.

- The Psalms were sung when the original temple was built.

- They were sung when the Jews returned from Exile, and a new temple was built.

- The Psalms were sung every day in the temple of Jesus' day.

- These are the songs that Jesus sang.

- With the birth of Christianity and the rise of the church, the Psalms continued to be an essential part of worship.

- We begin this series by dealing with a subject that many Christians, including me, misunderstand!

- Today, we will be in Psalm 1:1-3 dealing with the subject of happiness.

- People have heard that God does not care about your happiness but your holiness.

- This statement would be 100% accurate IF happiness and holiness were mutually exclusive; however, they are not.

- Since they are not, how do we deal with happiness and holiness?

- In other words, how can we experience happiness without sacrificing holiness?

- We have made many bad decisions in life in the pursuit of happiness.

- We have made many bad decisions based on our emotions, seeking what we think will make us happy.

- Many times, what we think will make us happy is a momentary pleasure.

- We know God cares about our happiness because many passages deal with our happiness.

- The Bible hasn't been particularly timid on the topic: "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).

- "Rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1).

- "Rejoice always" (1 Thessalonians 5:16).

- "We consider those blessed [happy] who remained steadfast" (James 5:11).

- Mark Moore points out another reason we know God cares about our happiness: science!

- When God constructed your brain, he lubricated the synapses with three specific happiness chemicals.

- They're" the happy juices of your brain.

- Oxytocin is the chemical that gives a sense of comfort.

- It's released through a handshake or a hug.

- Oxytocin creates a sense of safety and trust.

- Dopamine is the chemical of adventure.

- It's released when your mind is buzzing with activity and creative energy.

- You get a dopamine drip when you invent a new product, write a song, solve a problem, or learn something new.

- It drives productivity, travel, and adventure.

- Serotonin is the chemical of respect.

- It's released when someone asks your opinion, treats you with respect, or applauds your performance.

Moore, Mark E.. Core 52: A Fifteen-Minute Daily Guide to Build Your Bible IQ in a Year (p. 61). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

- God gives us these chemicals in spurts, not 100% of the time.

- These chemicals are addictive, and God wants us to form good habits that will cause us to get shots of these chemicals from our brains.

- Good habits will cause these happy chemicals in your brain to activate.

- Let's begin our examination of happiness in Psalm 1:1.

Psalm 1:1 (NET 2nd ed.)

1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers.

SERMON

I. Happiness is built on uplifting relationships.

- Verse one begins with the word BLESSED, which is actually plural in Hebrew. Thus, the word does not simply refer to a single blessing but rather blessings in many areas of life.

- The word is characterized by happiness and being highly favored.